Puerto Villamil Beach

In Isabela, Galapagos

The Puerto Villamil beach or Playa Isabela in Isabela island is a gorgeous 4kms beach that runs alongside the entire seaside of this cute little town. This white-sanded beauty with turquoise water is the perfect place to relax on Isabela island. Here you will see many pelicans fishing and marine iguanas and on the east side, there’s a great place to surf.

Where is the Puerto Villamil Beach?

It is located literally in front of Puerto Villamil town, the “capital” of Isabela island. It is the main beach of the island.

Puerto Villamil Beach location (in light blue dashed line)

How To Get to Puerto Villamil Beach?

You can reach it on foot. If you’re in the middle of town and not in the seaside hotels then this is how you reach it:

• • Distance: 500 m
  • Walking time: 5 minutes
  • Price: Free

Puerto Villamil Beach: General Details

• Opening hours: Always open. It’s not a National Park like Tortuga Bay
• Facilities: Since the beach is literally in front of Puerto Villamil town you can easily go to any cafe, restaurant, or even your hotel.
• What you can do here: Surf, swim, snorkel, sunbathe, relax, play football and music, and watch pelicans fishing. It is huge so you can pretty much do everything you want.

Puerto Villamil beach

What to Bring to the Puerto Villamil Beach?

Clothing & Accessories:

• Tshirt: Breathable Tshirt (Tech or Merino), or a Lycra
• Jacket: Waterproof Jacket
• Shorts: Shorts, and Swimming Clothes
• Shoes: Hiking Shoes, and Flip Flops
• Hat: Cap
• Sunglasses
• Dry-fast Towel
• Earth Pak Waterproof Dry Bag
• Change of Clothes

Useful Extras:

• GoPro/Camera
• Snorkeling Gear: Mask, Tube, and Fins
• Surfboard: If you’re a surfer this is one of the best places to surf on the island.
• Mosquito Repellent: The beaches on the Galapagos islands, especially at sunset, have a lot of mosquitos and usually also horseflies or “Tabanos” as they are called in Spanish and they are silent and leave you with a huge unpleasant swollen bite.
• Sunscreen 50 SPF
• Food / Snacks
• Thermos or Water-filtering Bottle

Check out my complete guide on What’s in My Backpack - From photography gear, and clothing for Hiking, Mountaineering, Scuba Diving, Rainforest, and City-Street Photography.

What Can i See on this Beach?

When I was there I saw many pelicans fishing, so probably if you bring your snorkeling kit you will find a lot of tropical fish in the water. You can also find marine iguanas chilling around. For your own safety and for the animals, don’t touch any of the animals or corals as they are all living things and can get damaged if you do so. If you want some more information please check the official Isabela island website.

The turquoise water of Isabela’s island

My Experience on the Puerto Villamil Beach

Since it was literally in front of the hotels I stayed in, I went there every day, to swim, for a walk at sunset, and to see the surfers. At night there are also some bars on the beachfront so you can enjoy the view and have some drinks. It’s literally the most beautiful and at the same time accessible beach in the Galapago’s main three islands. I felt like Isabela island is the perfect place to relax and adventure. It has fewer tourists, it has a huge beautiful beachfront almost all for yourself and you can also do many other adventures like going to the top and inside a volcano.

The pool-like area in front of town

Isabela Island beachfront

A paradise. Palm trees and turquoise water

The long seashore of Isabela island

View from the Cormorant Beach House

Nightlife in Isabela Island

What about you, have you already been to the Puerto Villamil beach in Isabela Island?  Leave me a comment down here if you have and what was your opinion. Thanks for reading through and I hope you have fun there!